Dr Adekunle Oke

The knowledge economy, fostered by knowledge-based innovation, has been linked to entrepreneurial and economic success, especially in OECD countries. Studies have shown the influence of socio-cultural factors on almost every area of economic behavior. However, few studies have attempted to connect these factors to the knowledge economy. Our research bridges this gap. We investigated the impact of socio-cultural factors on knowledge-based innovation, then we also examined whether digitalization impacted knowledge-based innovation, regardless of the influence of socio-cultural factors. Using official data from Russia's statistical office, we developed a correlation regression model using a linear graphical test and Pearson correlation. Our results show that certain socio-cultural factors significantly influenced knowledge-based innovation. We also found that digitalization could mitigate the negative effects of socio-cultural factors. Digitalization had a positive influence on knowledge-based innovation across all regions and socio-cultural characteristics. Our research provides pioneering analysis of the topic within post-Soviet economies and has huge implications for business practice, policy making, and academic research.

In this working paper we present the initial findings from a 2013 postal survey into green and ethical household behaviour. 457 usable questionnaires were returned from 3000 householders in a large northern city in the UK, giving a response rate of 15%. Respondents provided details about their levels of participation in green and ethical activities, their attitudes towards such behaviour, recent purchase decisions in different product categories, and information use and dissemination. Questions were derived from an earlier piece of qualitative research in which we carried out in-depth interviews with self-identified green consumers and a previous quantitative questionnaire. Our latest findings provide evidence to support varying levels of involvement in green and ethical activities, with differences in participation, attitudes, and information seeking. These differences are discussed and marketing implications identified.

Due to the emergence of COVID-19, the education sector has embraced online learning as the main delivery method to engage and impact knowledge and skills acquisition of their students. However, learning is not just about knowledge and skills acquisition but is an activity contributing to change and enrichment of the learner. This paper draws upon the results of a qualitative interview conducted amongst postgraduate students enrolled in an AMBA-accredited and top business school in the UK. The results revealed that students’ experience of the sudden transition to online learning is shaped by four distinct but interrelated areas: benefits of online learning, challenges of online learning, success factors in online learning and support in online learning. These findings will help higher education institutions and online learning tutors concentrate more on areas important to student learning when migrating from face-to-face to online modes of teaching.

This paper explores innovative sustainable business models that do not depend upon increasing consumption. Over the last decade there has been increasing interest in the concept of the sharing economy, also known as collaborative consumption, which replaces the focus on individual ownership with a focus on access to goods and services through borrowing, hiring or sharing. In particular we investigate the efficacy of extending the library concept to include more items, such as items that are used infrequently. The study provides a snapshot of Libraries of Things (LOTs) in the UK. The aim is to explore how UK LOTs operate and the barriers and opportunities to broaden the appeal, reach and sustainability of LOTs. Findings based upon case studies of six LOTs across the UK, indicate that all LOTs shared common environmental and social values, with the most prevalent values being to use the library concept to reduce resource use and waste and enable more equitable access to goods. All relied up a team of enthusiasts to found the project, and aligned with partners such as local authorities who typically offered free space and charity partners who helped with funds, supplemented often by local crowdfunding campaigns and a team of volunteers. There was a commonality in the type of items being borrowed, typically household items such as carpet cleaners, gardening and DIY tools, kitchen items computer items, games, and sports/leisure goods. There were differences in how items were sourced with the most established LOT sourcing new items through purchase or donation from manufacturers, and the less established LOTs relying mostly on public donations. Most had a mix of membership fees and individual hiring costs although one allowed payment for goods by time/goods donated too. Prices were low aimed at encouraging participation rather maximising financial returns. All LOTs expressed optimism about the potential of sharing to replace ownership and all hoped to expand their services in the future. At the time of the study, all relied on public support, and none were yet economically self-sufficient. This poses important questions about the future for LOTS and how they can transition towards the mainstream in order to make a more substantive contribution to creating a more socially equitable and environmentally sustainable economy.

Local authorities are responsible for the exponential increase of waste, estimated to be about 9 billion tonnes annually. However, developing economies face enormous waste management challenges compared to developed economies, suggesting the lack of effective waste management approaches in most developing economies, including the small island developing states (SIDS). This study explores waste management practices and behavior in Suriname in support of the government's ongoing efforts in developing a framework to integrate sustainable development goals into its national policies and strategies. The current research adopts a two-stage data collection method involving observation and semi-structured interviews. 15 key informants were purposively recruited and interviewed using the semi-structured interview method to understand the current perceptions and behavior towards waste production and management in Suriname. The results show that Suriname lacks a structured and formal waste management system like many other developing countries. Open dumping and uncontrolled incineration are the dominant waste treatment methods in the country. The semi-structured interviews show that many factors, such as the lack of government commitment, ineffective policies and regulations, lack of investment and infrastructure, and citizens' social-economic status, contribute to Suriname's current unsustainable waste management practices. Although the country faces many challenges, people, especially in villages, have positive attitudes towards the environment, enhancing their engagement in managing waste if the right schemes and facilities are installed. The study argued that the government should improve their participation and commitment to waste management, especially through installing, implementing and enforcing effective waste management policies and strategies. The study further demonstrates the need for collaborations between the government and other institutions, especially NGOs and private firms, to improve waste management investment and efforts. Using the ontology perspective, key findings are synthesized to highlight the practical and theoretical implications of the study. Limitations and future research are discussed.

Purpose Recent UK legislation requires businesses to segregate their food waste and present metal, plastic, glass and paper waste for collection separately. Despite decades of research on household recycling, scant attention has been paid to the waste that employees personally create and dispose of within their workplaces. There is an implicit assumption that what is already known about recycling at home will simply transfer into the workplace. However emerging debates in the wider green behaviour literatures suggest that behaviours may not translate straightforwardly into other contexts. Methodology This paper presents an exploratory study that comprehensively compares recycling at home and work for the first time. A one-page questionnaire was hand delivered to 1000 households to ask them to indicate which materials they recycled at home and at work, and allowed them to comment on any differences. A total of 220 responses were received. Findings The data show recycling in both contexts across the full range of materials. An aggregate analysis shows that people generally recycle in both contexts. However further analysis at the level of individual materials gives a different picture, demonstrating that individuals are less likely to recycle at work than they are at home, suggesting that spillover between these contexts is neither automatic nor consistent. Contribution Since an individual's behaviour is shown to vary across materials, as well as across contexts, this challenges the very notion of the 'recycler'. The findings challenge the extant research norms surrounding recycling research in a number of important ways. The outcome of this study is a set of six propositions which set out a future research agenda for the investigation of recycling behaviour in general, and workplaces in particular, in terms of unit of analysis, multiple material streams, and multiple contexts. Limitations Although this study gives insights into new areas and provides the basis for building future research agendas in the waste management field, it is very much exploratory in nature. In particular the questionnaire used was very simplistic in order to facilitate a healthy return rate from a sampling method which was known to include a significant proportion of recipients ineligible to reply (as they did not work outside the home). Although this was a successful strategy in terms of obtaining a large enough sample, it means that the data collected can only be analysed in a very limited way.

Purpose This article analyses the comments of consumers concerning the introduction of a minimum charge on single-use carrier bags in Scotland through The Single-Use Carrier Bags Charge (Scotland) Regulations 2014. Research Methods The data analysed in this study were collected using the BBC "Have Your Say" online message board. This approach provided an opportunity to analyse the perceptions of consumers, using 335 responses that were posted the day that the charge was announced, and 474 responses that were posted on the day of the introduction of the charge. The collected data were inductively analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Like many other studies of consumer perceptions of environmental policy initiatives, the results show that public perceptions of the scheme are divergent. While some perceived the scheme to be a good idea, others argued that the charge is another form of tax on the consumer. Limitations The study only considers the responses of those motivated to signal their opinions on the online message board. Implications The policy implications of the scheme are discussed in this paper, including the importance of public engagement through consultation when introducing market-based instruments to influence pro-environmental behavioural change. Contribution The paper makes an empirical contribution through the use of social media analysis techniques to create insights into spontaneously offered public opinion of the introduction of a charge on single-use carrier bags and thus offers a critique of the instrument from the consumer point of view. Further, this study contributes to the extant knowledge of consumer perceptions of market-based interventions and adds to the debate on carrier bag consumption.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address the research questions: which methodologies and data gathering methods are employed by researchers publishing in top entrepreneurship journals, and how has this changed over time? Design/methodology/approach – The data gathering methods of research published in five top entrepreneurship journals between 1985 and 2013, a period of nearly three decades, were recorded. Findings – The data demonstrate that entrepreneurship research is dominated by positivist approaches and data gathering methods, but that this picture is changing over time. The data also reveal differences in methods used in research published in North American and European journals. Research limitations/implications – It is argued that increased discussion of the limitations, benefits and implications of research methods is needed across the field as a whole. It is concluded that although there is some methodological reflexivity in the field of a macro, abstract nature, there is little at the micro level of individual research designs. Originality/value – There is a number of existing reviews of methods in the field but none over such a long time period that include such a large corpus of papers. Of particular value to scholars engaged in debates about the proportions and merits of different research methods is the identification of long-term trends away from primary data gathering in general and survey approaches in particular. Debates surrounding the existence of different regional “schools” of entrepreneurship will be informed by the differing patterns of methods found in the five outlets included in the study.

In order to increase waste recycling, many studies have been conducted to understand factors that may influence waste recycling behaviour. However, these studies have focused on household contexts rather than other waste generation contexts. As a result, this paper seeks to provide a detailed analysis of previous studies on workplace waste recycling behaviour. Drawing from different databases, 51 relevant studies on workplace waste recycling attitudes and behaviour were meta-analysed. Findings showed that the highest percentage of the existing studies were conducted in the USA, focused on a single waste stream, were often conducted within academic contexts, adopted (or modified) an existing theoretical framework and were based on questionnaires which elicited self-reported behaviour. Some of the factors identified include demographics, situational variables, past behaviour, incentives, prompts and/or information, attitudes and identity. The findings highlighted the scale of challenges confronting waste management practitioners in understanding the factors that may affect waste recycling behaviour due to the complexity and heterogeneity of human behaviours. However, the results from the reviewed studies in this research suggest that a combination of different factors may be required to influence workplace waste recycling behaviour. This may provide effective incentives to develop a framework that may assist waste management stakeholders when addressing workplace waste management.

Recycling information can be complex and often confusing which may subsequently reduce the participations in any waste recycling schemes. As a result, this research explored the roles as well as the importance of a holistic approach in designing recycling information using 15 expert-based (in-depth) interviews. The rationale was to offer a better understanding of what constitutes waste, recycling, and how recycling information should be designed and presented to make recycling more attractive/convenient. Based on the research participants’ perceptions with supports from the existing studies, this research sub-categorised recycling information into three different themes, termed the “WWW” (what, when, and where) of recycling information components. As a result, these components (or attributes) were extensively described (using findings of semi-structured interviews) to elicit pragmatic guidance for practitioners, policy-makers, and other stakeholders in designing structured communication or information strategies that may simplify and subsequently increase waste recycling practices. The policy implications of holistic information in enhancing recycling are further discussed.

This bibliometric analysis explores the scope and knowledge base of scholarly efforts on sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) and how it has evolved in different economies and businesses to advance circular economy (CE) discourses in theory and practice across economies and businesses. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and search syntax, a total of 2,574 peer-reviewed articles from journals indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, and ProQuest were analyzed. The results show an exponential growth in SSCM research since 2013 with 6,306 authors from 83 countries published in 675 journals; however, less attention is given to developing economies (DEs) and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The findings provide a useful direction for future research and theory development in SSCM, allowing scholars and businesses to implement true CE by addressing practical sustainability issues relevant to their operations and supply chains. This bibliometric analysis is the first study providing a holistic overview of SSCM research trends in developed countries (DCs), DEs, and MSMEs, and arguing for inter-disciplinary CE discourses and inter-organizational collaboration in SC to update and implement CE. This study makes important contributions to SSCM research and practice by providing multiple snapshots of the increasing growth trajectory of the idea of sustainability in SC and how its different aspects have evolved over the period.

Appropriate and effective stakeholder engagement remains a critical success factor for successful project and project management, especially in multicultural settings such as in the case of international subsidiaries of multinational organisations. Using in-depth qualitative interviews, this study examines the influence of culture on stakeholder engagement in a multicultural context from the perspective of project practitioners working for multinational corporations in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The study findings revealed how the influence of different cultural dimensions on stakeholder engagement impact policies and decision-making. The study emphasised the need for project practitioners to integrate a culture that fosters open innovation in their project implementation processes to enhance their capacity to engage effectively in a multicultural setting.

In the life cycle of a material, there will be either chemical or physical change due to varying environmental factors such as biological activity, light, heat, moisture, and chemical conditions. This process leads to polymer property change as pertains to functional deterioration because of the physical, biological, and chemical reactions that result in chemical transformations and bond scission and thus can be regarded as polymer degradation. Due to the present demand for sustainable polymers, bio-based polymers have been identified as a solution. There is therefore a need to compare the sustainability impacts of bio-based polymers, to maximize their use in functional use stage and still withhold the bio-degradation capability. This study focuses are poly (lactic acid) (PLA), Poly (ε-caprolactone) (PCL), polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and polyamides (PA) as biopolymers of interest due to their potential in technological applications, stability, and biodegradability. For preparing bio-based value-added products, an appropriate selection of the fabrication or functional modification process is a very important factor for particular industrial or biomedical applications. The literature review indicates that in vivo is preferred to in vitro because it suits an overall study of the experiment’s effects on a living subject. This study will explore these features in detail. In particular, the review will cover processing and biodegradation pathways for each of the biopolymers. In addition, thermal degredation and photodegradation are covered, and future trends and conclusions are drawn.

Maximising the use of anaerobic digestion to generate power from waste feedstocks is becoming a practical way to use waste contributing to the transition from a linear to a circular economy and reducing the carbon footprint. In addition to harnessing the production of biogas generated from anaerobic digestion plants, there are a stream of potential bioresources such as fertiliser, chemicals, gases and bioplastics which may provide sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based products. Island communities are constantly faced with waste management challenges often shipping waste off the island, which increases the 'islands' carbon emissions. This study investigated Orkney Islands as a model example, focusing on establishing whether an anaerobic digestion plant is a feasible sustainable waste management solution through analysis of waste quantities and composition, available technology, community buy-in, environmental impacts and economics. A survey of waste revealed 76,000 tonnes/annum of waste on Orkney over a variety of organic, textile and plastic categories which could generate 5 M m3 biogas and 11 M kWh electricity per year. Four scenarios of producer clusters for anaerobic digestion plant operations were modeled and showed an average of 19 years for investment pay back, demonstrating that significant investment would be required to make the project economically viable for the business. A life cycle analysis was performed, and the project found that anaerobic digestion produces the greatest environmental benefits for processing waste compared to landfill or producing animal feed. This study demonstrates the contributions of anaerobic digestion in the community and represents a blueprint on how communities can reduce waste and develop a circular economy. The benefits of implementing a combined heat and power plant were explored and the study found that the community would profit. The anaerobic digestion plant will provide a constant base load of energy to help fill the gaps created with other intermittent energy supplies (wind and tidal). The inclusion of a waste disposal system on the island significantly reduces the communities carbon footprint due to removing the need to ship waste to the Shetland Island for disposal. The energy produced in the combined heat and power plant can supply many end users, such as 97% of energy needs for the largest distillery on the island, 4 compressed natural gas trucks for the island or a 1-acre greenhouse. However, individual efforts will not be enough to create the change that is needed, community and regulatory collaborations are essential to create a circular economy in Orkney and significantly reduce the carbon footprint.

Over the last decade there has been increasing interest in the concept of the sharing economy, which replaces the focus on individual ownership with a focus on access to goods and services through borrowing, hiring or sharing. This study investigates the efficacy of extending the library concept to include more items, such as those that are used infrequently. The aim is to explore how Libraries of Things (LoTs) operate and the potential to broaden their appeal, reach and sustainability. This study adopts a multiple case study method to provide a snapshot of six LoTs in the UK. Findings indicate that all LoTs shared common environmental and social values, with the most prevalent values being to use the library concept to reduce resource use and waste and to enable more equitable access to goods. All relied on volunteers and public support, in the form of free or discounted space and none were yet economically self-sufficient. This poses important questions about the future for LoTs and whether they could or even should, transition towards the mainstream to make a more substantive contribution to creating a more socially equitable and environmentally sustainable economy.

Learning in projects is frequently emphasized in practice and the literature for knowledge creation, yet there is limited research on how project practitioners articulate learning particularly in complex projects. This study applies the Systemic Lessons Learned Knowledge model to investigate how project practitioners conceptualize learning in complex projects. The research method consisted of narrative inquiry which is considered insightful and useful in acquiring data through storytelling. The research establishes how beyond the alignment of the people and system elements (learning, culture, social, technology, process, and infrastructure), an awareness of complex project attributes can positively influence project practitioners’ learning capability. This study also identifies and discusses the enablers and challenges of transferring lessons learned into knowledge.

Purpose The literature has generally examined supply chain disruptions and mitigation, assuming that resilience capabilities are universal. This assumption undermines the productivity and competitiveness of manufacturing firms in developing economies due to differences in contextual attributes and challenges. In this study, we advance the current knowledge in the literature and explore context-driven disruptions in developing economies to provide a foundational step for disruption-mitigation fit to enhance operational efficiency and business continuity. Design/methodology/approach This study adopts a qualitative multi-case study approach and explores the operational environment of manufacturing firms in developing economies to unpack context-driven disruptions and strategies for managing disruptions. An in-depth exploratory multiple case study of 8 manufacturing firms was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 31 key informants across the case firms. Findings Findings indicate that manufacturing firms in developing economies face operational disruptions and challenges specific to their business environment, contrasting with those experienced in developed countries and documented in the literature. This contrast suggests that mitigation strategies designed for disruptions in developed economies may prove ineffective in addressing emergent and context-driven disruptions in developing countries. Research limitations/implications Since this paper is based on an in-depth single case study, its findings may not be empirically generalisable to other sectors and countries beyond Africa. Practical implications Considering the interconnectivity of global supply chains, this study highlights the need for firms and managers in developed economies to be cognisant of context-specific disruptions affecting firms in developing economies. The study provides valuable insights into how manufacturing firms can build resilience by embedding context-specific planning practices into their strategic supply chain agenda. Originality/value With Africa’s lack of production contribution to the global manufacturing value-added, this study underscores the need for manufacturing firms in developing economies to be proactive, pragmatic, and strategic in devising planning consistent with their operations and the dynamic business environment.

Despite the increasing awareness of the consequences of waste, there is no consensus on how and why consumers engage in recycling, making it challenging to design behavioural interventions that might promote recycling, especially in organisational settings. This study is designed to explain consumers' recycling behaviour and how it differs across contexts, particularly between home and work settings. Using personal accounts of 367 employees from different organisations in the UK, this study explores recycling behaviour at home and work including its motivations and barriers. The findings show that recycling behaviour is different across contexts due to many disparate factors underlying people's waste generation and recycling behaviours from one context to another. According to the findings, buying and consumption behaviour and waste generation patterns influence the way consumers engage in recycling. The study further demonstrates that contextual factors and individual circumstances are important contributors to consumption behaviour, waste production, and recycling behaviour. While recycling behaviour has been investigated extensively, the findings of this study indicate the need for consumption and waste production patterns to be taken into consideration when designing recycling interventions, enhancing the prospect of a circular economy. This study contributes to theory and practice by associating recycling behaviour with buying and consumption behaviour, including waste generation patterns.

Purpose This study aims to explore the motivation as well as barriers for ethical food consumption behaviour by focussing on the food consumption pattern of young adults in the North East of Scotland. Considering the recent involvement of young adults in environmental activism, consumption behaviour of young adults in the North East of Scotland, an oil-based community, presents essential research interest to understand whether young adults often contemplate the consequences of their lifestyle. Design/methodology/approach The authors explored the perceptions of ten purposive recruited young adults using semi-structured interviews to understand factors underpinning consumer's decision-making towards ethical food products. Findings The study reveals three key factors influencing ethical food consumption behaviour among young adults. The findings show that personal health and well-being are the main reasons why consumers engage in ethical food consumption. Also, it is observed that information facilitates decision-making by raising awareness regarding the social, environmental and health consequences of food production and consumption. Further, the findings show that situational attributes, such as product price and product availability, are creating dissonance when engaging in ethical food consumption. Originality/value This study contributes to sustainability research and the ongoing debate on consumerism by exploring ethical food consumption behaviour and highlights the need to address situational challenges, such as product price and availability. The study suggests that interventions to address current consumption patterns should also emphasise the social and personal benefits of food consumption rather than the environmental benefits that have been the focus of prior research.

Research on recycling has advanced across different disciplines, although the current knowledge about recycling behaviors at the corporate level remains elusive. While most studies on recycling are focused on households, there is no indication that people who recycle at home engage in similar behavior when at work. To understand how to facilitate recycling at work, this study investigates recycling behavior at work and its antecedents. The study adopts a sequential exploratory mixed method (MM) approach as its methodological framework, using semi-structured interviews and statistical analysis through structural equation modelling (SEM). According to the findings, factors such as types and volumes of waste, responsibility/accountability, personal control, recycling schemes, institutional supports, and group harmony contribute to recycling behavior in organizational settings. The study demonstrates contextual attributes' contribution, particularly organizational support and social context of recycling to employees' recycling behavior. For recycling to be normative at the corporate level, this MM study argues for the need to harmonize schemes within and across contexts. There is a need to install similar recycling schemes and facilities within and across waste generation contexts to reduce the recycling complexity and maintain consistency in recycling behavior. This study's findings could assist waste planners and policymakers in designing effective waste management schemes that would contribute to the circular economy initiatives. We further discussed the implication of the study.

This study empirically examines millennials' buying behaviour at restaurants undertaking Corporate Social Responsibility activities by testing the effects of willingness to pay on buying behaviour. Using Hayes’ serial mediation PROCESS model, the study analyses the direct and indirect effects of millennials’ willingness to pay on their buying behaviour at ethical and socially responsible restaurants using data from 212 millennials in North-East Scotland. Results showed that willingness to pay has significant direct and indirect effects on buying behaviour. The mediation effect of environmental concern was not supported. The serial mediation analysis showed that environmental concern, social influence, and personal norms jointly mediated the effects of willingness to pay on buying behaviour. The proposed serial model suggests that only direct measure of willingness to pay on buying behaviour is insufficient for restaurants to respond to millennials’ expectations, providing empirical evidence on the need for customer's engagement as businesses emerge from covid-19.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the barriers to implementing lessons learned in project-based organisations and how they can be effectively captured and embedded to create knowledge that drives project success and organisational performance. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a qualitative research design to explore the perceptions and experiences of project practitioners through the lens of social learning theory (SLT). Semi-structured interviews were conducted to uncover individual project practitioners’ views and opinions about lessons learned in the project environment to facilitate project success. Findings The findings indicate that effective application of lessons learned and knowledge sharing significantly enhances project success by fostering a culture of collective learning and continuous improvement. The key barriers identified are misinterpretation of lessons learned, lack of mentoring, knowledge hiding, non-participation from relevant stakeholders and lack of a collaborative environment. Practical implications Organisations should formulate clear guidelines, implement robust knowledge repositories and standardise lesson-learned processes to foster uniform understanding within and across projects. Organisations should also invest in training programs and promote mentorship and top management support to foster a culture of learning and accountability. Originality/value The paper presents a unique avenue to understanding lessons learned in the context of project-based learning. It highlights barriers and strategies across dimensions and explores them through a participatory and social lens. By using an SLT theoretical framework, the study provides a fresh perspective on how knowledge can be shared and utilised within project organisations. It bridges gaps in literature and provides actionable insights, making it highly valuable to both academic and practical fields.

Human existence is shaped by interconnected patterns and repetitions that unfold in rhythmic cycles, from biological functions to socially constructed behaviors. While innate (physiological) and natural (environmental) cycles remain fixed, self-constructed cycles, such as routines and habits, are more dynamic, shaped by human agency. These repetitive behaviors often enhance efficiency, goal achievement, well-being, and stress reduction. However, over-reliance on them can lead to rigidity, inhibiting innovation, serendipity, and adaptability. In an era of rapid technological change, the highly routinized lifestyle of the industrial age may no longer be optimal. Drawing insights from a systems-thinking perspective, we reconceptualize routines and habits as dynamic constructs that offer both stability and adaptability in shaping human behavior. This paper contributes to the academic discourse on temporal structures and innovation by critically examining how routines function as both enablers and constraints in a rapidly evolving world, offering practical insights into fostering greater flexibility in behavioral and adaptive patterns.

Sustainable finance and investment has become an important factor in achieving environmental sustainability. Evidence also suggests it has become more prominent in the global financial system. Although academic interest has increased in recent years, most prior studies have investigated support for sustainable finance within corporate environments. Studies examining the support of individuals, or the wider public, are scarce. Consequently, using a Eurobarometer survey of 27,862 Europeans across all 27 EU countries, this study explores support for sustainable finance among people in Europe. We used a nested fixed effects model – with two levels – to examine the influence of sociodemographic factors, knowledge of sustainable finance, and a country's progress towards attaining the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our results show that sociodemographic factors are the most influential predictors of support for sustainable finance. We found that age, gender and living in rural/urban areas all influenced people's support for sustainable finance. Meanwhile, the influence of sustainable finance knowledge and SDG progress were either negligible or negative.

This study conceptualises the extent of supply chain collaboration in the oil and gas (O&G) sector using the evidence from the literature and the primary data collected from supply chain practitioners across various companies in the UK O&G sector. The goal is to establish how the sector can address its traditional narrow and adversary relationships that undermine the sector’s ability to be resilient and competitive considering the volatility of global oil prices and the trilemma (i.e., energy transition, energy security, and energy diversification) of issues facing the sector. Using exploratory quantitative online surveys, data were collected from 82 supply chain practitioners across Tier 1, 2, and 3 companies in the UK O&G sector. The collected data were analysed thematically, providing deeper insights into supply chain collaboration, including its motivations and barriers in the UK O&G sector. The findings show that the pattern of collaboration in the O&G sector is transient, situational, and mostly influenced by the sector’s performance and global economic situations. The findings further show that the nature of the relationship in the O&G sector is mostly dependent on how it contributes to the performance of each business rather than the supply chain. This study argues that businesses in the oil and gas sector need to re-examine their relationships to enhance their competitiveness. It proposes that the sector should embrace strategic collaborations as the sector faces many disruptions, particularly from energy transition and the decommissioning of assets.

Purpose Informed by the dearth of research and insufficient knowledge of green innovation in family firms, this study explores the intersection of green innovation, family firms and intergenerational succession in resolving the paradox of green innovation across generations. Design/methodology/approach This exploratory qualitative study explored the perceptions of incumbents and successors of textile family firms in Italy to highlight the crucial role of firms’ entrepreneurial orientation and social-emotional wealth in shaping and fostering green innovation in family firms. Findings The results show that a low bureaucratic process, flexibility and communication strengthen green innovation in family firms. However, the lack of sustainable raw materials, consumer behaviour, insufficient financial capital, stakeholder engagement and risk aversion affects green innovation in family firms. While family firms are willing to engage in green innovation, the results suggest that family firms are more likely to consider green innovation with superior financial benefits rather than environmental benefits alone. According to the results, incumbents and successors differ in harnessing knowledge to increase their entrepreneurial orientation and protect firms’ social-emotional wealth. Originality/value Despite many barriers preventing green innovation in small family firms, this study shows that the interaction of internal capabilities, external knowledge and family (entrepreneurial) orientation contributes to green innovation and the overall performance of small family firms.

Purpose This study proposes a new agenda for research and practice on pro-environmental behaviours in organisational settings by exploring the intersection between technology innovations and pro-environmental initiatives. The goal is to demonstrate the utility of digital technology in promoting and achieving sustainability by addressing the complexity and inconsistency in pro-environmental behaviours. Design/methodology/approach Using relevant literature on pro-environmental behaviours, this study explores the possibility of embedding technology innovations in pro-environmental initiatives to promote and enhance sustainability in organisational settings. Findings This study argues that the recent technological advancement and open innovation provide new insights into understanding and implementing pro-environmental initiatives in organisational settings. While pro-environmental behaviours studies have advanced over the past decades, this study shows that many pro-environmental activities do not require employees to change behaviour. According to this study, psychology and technology innovations offer various opportunities for businesses to effectively and pragmatically embed sustainability into their operations without necessarily changing employees' behaviour. Research limitations/implications This conceptual study offers opportunities to empirically explore the collaborative nexus between “psychology-based pro-environmental behaviour research and technology innovation”. Despite the plethora of studies on pro-environmental behaviours, results are mixed and inconclusive, raising questions about the dominant practice used for promoting pro-environmental initiatives and behaviours at the corporate level. This study, therefore, provides a new pathway for businesses to address their environmental aspects, demonstrating a pragmatic approach to resolving the complexity of pro-environmental behaviours. Originality/value This study allows social investigators, policymakers, and technology developers to re-assess, revive and further investigate how they can collaborate to address practical environmental and social issues.

Technological innovation has transformed educational settings, enabling artificial intelligence (AI)-driven teaching and learning processes. While AI is still in its embryonic stage in education, generative artificial intelligence has evolved rapidly, significantly shifting the teaching and learning context. With no clarity about the impacts of generative artificial intelligence on education, there is a need to synthesise research findings to demystify generative artificial intelligence and address concerns regarding its application in the teaching and learning process. This paper systematically synthesises studies on generative artificial intelligence in teaching and learning to understand key arguments and stakeholders’ perceptions of generative artificial intelligence in teaching and learning. The systematic review reveals five main domains of research within the field: (i) current awareness (understanding) of generative artificial intelligence, (ii) stakeholder perceptions, (iii) mechanisms for adopting generative artificial intelligence, (iv) issues and challenges of implementing generative artificial intelligence, and (v) contributions of generative artificial intelligence to student performance. This review examines the practical and policy implications of generative artificial intelligence, providing recommendations to address the concerns and challenges associated with generative artificial intelligence-driven teaching and learning processes.

This study explored the effect of energy consumption and economic growth on CO2 emissions. The relationship between energy consumption, economic growth and CO2 emissions was assessed using regression analysis (the pooled OLS regression and fixed effects methods), Granger causality and panel cointegration tests. Data from 70 countries between 1994–2013 were analysed. The result of the Granger causality tests revealed that the study variables (population, capital stock and economic growth) have a bi-directional causal relationship with CO2 emissions, while energy consumption has a uni-directional relationship. Likewise, the outcome of the cointegration tests established that a long-run relationship exists among the study variables (energy consumption and economic growth) with CO2 emissions. However, the pooled OLS and fixed methods both showed that energy consumption and economic growth have a significant positive impact on CO2 emissions. Hence, this study supports the need for a global transition to a low carbon economy primarily through climate finance, which refers to local, national, or transnational financing, that may be drawn from public, private and alternative sources of financing. This will help foster large-scale investments in clean energy, that are required to significantly reduce CO2 emissions.

Business operations are undergoing drastic changes due to the disruptive effects of technology innovations; however, there is insufficient knowledge regarding the acceptability and consequences of the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) in the education sector. Using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), this study explores the readiness of the education sector for 4IR. We adopted face-to-face semi-structured interviews to explore the views of 33 key stakeholders in the education sector, to understand the readiness and acceptability of 4IR in the sector. Findings show that the education sector, especially in Africa, is unprepared for 4IR, although there are indications for opportunities to harness the potential of the much-anticipated 4IR. Moreover, our study demonstrates a mutual symbiotic relationship between the education sector and technology innovations. The findings show that 4IR can facilitate students’ learning experience and transforms the workplace, although there is a need to assess the learning environment, to understand the facilitators and barriers to 4IR diffusion. The findings indicate the opportunity for the education sector to harness the innovations associated with 4IR through research and teaching to enhance learners’ experience; however, this may require a significant improvement in education curricula, as well as investments. The findings contribute to the theory and practice of technology in education and the limited literature on 4IR in the education sector, particularly in Africa.

Blue hydrogen is one of the energy carriers to be adopted by the United Kingdom to reduce emissions to net Zero by 2050, and its use is majorly influenced by policy and technological innovations. With more than 10 blue hydrogen facilities planning productive offtake from 2025, there is an urgent need to confirm the viability of these proposed facilities to aid decarbonization and the path to conformity to policy regulation. This study discovers that the Acorn blue hydrogen facility can produce blue hydrogen within the low-carbon hydrogen standard set by the United Kingdom's government. In this study, a detailed examination of hydrogen production techniques is conducted using a lifecycle assessment (LCA) approach aimed to understand the environmental impact of producing 144 tons of hydrogen per day using the Acorn hydrogen facility as a case study. This was followed by a sensitive analysis embracing steam and oxygen consumption and methane leakages, the ability of the facility meeting the low carbon hydrogen standard, economics, and the externality-priced production costs that embody the environmental impact. A gate-to-gate LCA shows that the Acorn hydrogen plant must aim at carbon capture rates of >90 ​% to meet the set UK target of 20 gCO2e/MJLHV. The study further identifies from literature that the autothermal reforming (ATR) system with integrated carbon capture and storage (CCS) production technology as the most environmentally sustainable technology at present in comparison to commercially available options studied. This assessment helps to appraise the potential unintended causes and effects of the production of blue hydrogen that should aid future policy guidance and investments.

Purpose While circular economy (CE) is fast becoming a political and economic agenda for global urban development, there are still substantial knowledge gaps in possible strategies to speed up such transition, especially in the construction industry. This study analyses literature surrounding CE to unpack current trends possible future research directions to foster CE implementation in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach The study undertakes a systematic review of CE literature published between 1990 and 2019. It adopts a five-stage procedure as a methodological approach for the review: formulation of the research question(s), locating and identifying relevant studies, selection and evaluation of studies, analysis or synthesis and results reporting. Findings The findings on CE research in the construction industry show extensive focus on resource use and waste management. There are limited investigations in other areas of construction such as supply chain integration, building designs, policy, energy efficiency, land use, offsite manufacturing, whole life costing, and risk, cost reduction, cost management, health and safety management. The study findings provide evidence that current CE practice fails to incorporate other areas that would facilitate the network of true circular construction industry. Originality/value This research provides a comprehensive overview of research efforts on CE in the construction context, identifying areas of extensive and limited coverage over three decades. Besides, it identifies possible pathways for future research directions on CE implementation, towards the accelerated transition to a true circular construction industry for the benefit of funding bodies and researchers.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a capability maturity model (CMM) developed to implement continuous improvement in small and medium scale construction companies (SMSCC) in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach A multi-strategy approach involving qualitative studies of SMSCC in Nigeria was conducted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively selected construction experts in Nigeria to identify variables essential for continuous improvement in SMSCC. Data collected were thematically analysed using NVIVO. Subsequently, a system thinking approach is employed to design and develop the CMM for implementing continuous improvement SMSCC, by exploring possible relationships between the variables established. Findings CMM provided a five-level approach for the inclusion of investigated variables such as team performance; culture; structure; post-project reviews, financial risk management, waste management policy and cost control. These variables are factors leading to continuous improvement in SMSCC, implementable within a six to seven and a half years’ timeline. Practical implications The system thinking model revealed cogent archetypes in the form of reinforcing loops that can be applied in developing the performance of SMSCC. Continuous improvement is feasible. However, it takes time to implement. Further longitudinal studies on the cost of implementing continuous improvement through CMM a knowledge transfer project can be initiated. Originality/value A methodical strategy for enhancing the effectiveness and operations of SMSCC in developing countries can be extracted from the causal loop diagram and the CMM.

Transitioning from demolition to deconstruction practices for end-of-life performances is gaining increasing attention following the need for the construction industry to minimise construction and demolition waste. Building information modelling (BIM) presents an opportunity for sustainable deconstruction. However, the notion of BIM for deconstruction (BIMfD) is still in its infancy in the United Kingdom. Although a few studies on BIMfD are evident, a focus on identifying the underlying factors necessary for successful implementation of BIMfD is lacking. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyse the underlying factors necessary for BIMfD implementation in the UK construction industry. It employed a four-stage research design. The reviewed literature explored extant views on BIM implementation factors to identify an initial list of possible factors influencing BIMfD implementation. Subsequently, a mix of questionnaire, focus group discussions and structured interviews were employed at various stages to refine and contextualise 15 factors necessary for BIMfD implementation in the UK construction industry. The contextual interrelationships among the factors were evaluated using interpretive structured modelling (ISM). This evaluation culminated in a BIMfD implementation factor model. The findings identified BIMfD experts, responsiveness of business models to innovative practices and industry’s acceptance to embrace change as the principal factors influencing BIMfD implementation in the UK. The implications of the findings attest that BIMfD experts and advisors must champion the adoption and implementation of BIMfD in the UK and business models need to become more responsive to accommodate BIMfD innovative practices. A BIMfD framework was conceptualised. Even though the BIMfD framework was designed from the UK perspective, the global construction industry can leverage the outcomes of this study. This paper, therefore, brings to the fore, a hierarchical BIMfD implementation factor model to support improved deconstruction practices in the construction industry.

Packaging waste production, especially single-use containers, is exerting detrimental effects on terrestrialand aquatic ecosystems, including human health. To internalise the externalities associated withsingle-use containers, different instruments, including a deposit refund scheme (DRS), have beenoperationalised in many countries. Therefore, DRS is introduced in Scotland to reduce plastic litters byincreasing recycling rates and incentivising pro-environmental behavioural change. This study addressesthe complexity of single-use plastic containers by analysing consumers’ perceptions regarding theintroduction of DRS in Scotland. Using 940 comments from the BBC ‘‘Have Your Say” messageboard, thisstudy adopts sentiment analysis to understand consumers’ opinions about the introduction andimplementation of DRS in Scotland. Findings suggest that a UK-wide scheme that is similar in terms ofoperations and structure is required for DRS to be successful. While consumers’ knowledge and opinionsabout DRS are mixed, the efficacy of DRS including its relevance is questioned and raises doubts about itscontribution to sustainability. The findings imply the need for UK countries to negotiate and collaborateon appropriate and attractive interventions in addressing post-consumer single-use plastic containers.The implications of the findings for policy and practice, especially in improving the operations of DRSare further discussed.

The concept of sustainability reporting is now an essential tool through which organisations demonstrate accountability to their stakeholders. The increasing market pressure coupled with the awareness of the consequences of organisations’ activities suggests the need for organisations to report their sustainability credentials. Sustainability performance reports should provide adequate information on organisations’ social, economic, and environmental performance. However, the current process through which organisations communicate their sustainability performance to stakeholders is questionable and remains a significant concern. This study assessed the current state and direction of research on sustainability performance reporting by conducting a bibliometric literature review of peer-reviewed studies on sustainability performance reporting published between 1987 and 2022. The findings highlight the misconceptions between sustainability and CSR when reporting organisations’ sustainability performance. Furthermore, businesses and scholars prioritise reporting instead of communication with stakeholders. The observed lack of engagement with stakeholders indicates that the reported performance may not reflect the impact of business activities on the three dimensions of sustainability. Rather than adopting a one-way information dissemination approach, this study concludes that the desired performance can only be achieved through two-way communication with stakeholders.

Purpose This paper examines the relationship between consumers’ perceptions of sustainability in the foodservice industry and willingness to pay, identifying customer satisfaction and loyalty as mediators. The purpose is to establish how foodservice businesses can attract and retain consumers to sustain their performance amid the global market uncertainties and low consumer confidence. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected from 204 diners in the UK foodservice industry to test the study’s hypothesized relationships using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4. Findings The findings show no significant relationship between diners’ environmental perceptions and willingness to pay. The findings further show that customer satisfaction and loyalty mediate the relationship between environmental perceptions and willingness to pay. The findings of the conditional analysis reveal that the mediated relationship is moderated by economic sustainability, with distinct economic sustainability conditions identified under which the mediated relationship is most significant. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the current knowledge in sustainability research by establishing whether consumer expressive sustainability behavior translates into a willingness to pay. The paper identifies a set of theoretical and managerial implications to help foodservice businesses and scholars implement sustainability initiatives. These implications relate to conceptualization, theoretical and methodological approaches in sustainability research. Originality/value This study enhances the understanding of how consumers’ perceptions of sustainability contribute to willingness to pay and the competitiveness of foodservice businesses. It enables targeted marketing by segmenting consumers based on their sustainability views.

Through a combination of systematic and narrative review of academic literature and relevant grey literature, particularly United Nations and European Commission publications, this chapter explores the barriers and challenges to the circular economy of electric vehicle supply chains (EVSCs), followed by the different ways in which circular economy principles can be enhanced in EVSCs. This chapter also examines the barriers, including battery design issues, infrastructural challenges, critical raw material needs, data collection and traceability issues, economic and commercial challenges, consumer and market behaviour, and policy and regulatory gaps. Potential solutions and pathways to address and overcome these barriers have also been evaluated in this review, including recycling of EV battery designs, sustainable critical material production, stakeholder and data co-ordination drawing on artificial intelligence, particularly Internet of Things capabilities, and harmonising policy and governance gaps and discord. This chapter concludes by identifying and advocating pertinent future directions of research and development to enhance circularity in EVSCs.

Cost overrun is a global issue plaguing transportation infrastructure projects, and the rail industry in the United Kingdom is not exempted. This industry plays a significant role in stimulating the country’s economic development and growth in the United Kingdom (UK). Understanding the factors contributing to cost overruns in rail projects is viable to sustain its contribution, especially in the COVID-19 epidemic era. This study analyzed and predicted the impact of cost overruns on rail projects in the UK in a COVID-19 pandemic era through a sparse network and system dynamics approach. It leverages a review of existing literature and perceptions of 80 construction professionals purposively to establish the factors affecting cost overruns affecting the UK rail construction sector. Findings reveal a web of causations that highlights labor productivity, delay in the supply of construction materials and equipment, and access to the site as fundamental predictors of cost overruns during a COVID-19 pandemic era. The resulting findings are beneficial to assist project managers with the needed awareness to strategically plan and mitigate the potential rise in cost overruns of rail projects in the UK during the pandemic.